Hillingdon Borough F.C.
Hillingdon Borough Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Ruislip, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The club is affiliated to the Middlesex County Football Association. It was also the name of a now-extinct club that existed between 1965 and 1987. They currently play in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division. History Historic club The first club was originally founded as Yiewsley F.C. in 1872, and played on a small area of open ground in Falling Lane, Yiewsley, in Middlesex. The club made its debut in the FA Cup in the 1939–40 season, losing to Maidenhead United in the extra preliminary qualification round. In 1951 they were one of the 14 clubs who founded the Delphian League. Two seasons later at the end of the 1953–54 campaign they moved to the Corinthian League, which they topped in their third season, 1956–57. In 1958 a decision was made to turn semi-professional, and the club joined the South-East zone of the Southern League. Their most noteworthy achievement until that point was holding Third Division Gillingham to a 2–2 draw on their home ground in the first round proper of the 1956–57 FA Cup. Jackie Milburn (formerly of Newcastle and England) also played for the club briefly when he retired from professional football in the early 1960s. The club renamed itself as Hillingdon Borough in 1964 in line with the local government reorganisation in London that saw the formation of the London Borough of Hillingdon. The change of name saw their fortunes change, as in their second season they were promoted to the Premier Division of the Southern League after finishing runners up. Their most successful period followed over the next five years. In 1968–69 they finished runners-up to Cambridge United, who were duly elected to the Football League. The following season, they reached the third round proper of the FA Cup beating Wimbledon and Luton Town before losing to Sutton United 4–1 in a replay. In the 1970–71 season, they reached the FA Trophy final at Wembley losing 3–2 to Telford United, after leading 2–0 at the interval. These achievements were all under the managership of Jimmy Langley (left-back for Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and England), who was himself an ex-Yiewsley player. Other notable managers of the club included Barry Fry, latterly of Birmingham City and Peterborough United. The club failed to build on the success of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Declining crowds and poor financial management eventually saw the club merge with Burnham F.C. to form Burnham & Hillingdon, after they lost their ground and were about to fold. This club ran for two more seasons before changing their name back to Burnham, and continue to play in the Southern league till this day. Modern club The name Hillingdon Borough was resurrected in 1990 when Bromley Park Rangers from the Chiltonian League took over the ground of Ruislip, with the help of four former directors from the old club, and changed their name. Ther newly named club then joined the Premier Division of the Spartan League for the start of the 1990–91 campaign. The club would then go on to finish Runners-up twice before the league merged with the South Midlands League to form the Spartan South Midlands Football League. The club was placed in the Premier South Division. In 2006, Hillingdon Borough reached the FA Vase final at St. Andrews, Birmingham, after an 11 game qualification route starting in the competition as early as the 2nd qualifying round. In the final of the FA Vase the club lost 3–1 to Cheshire club Nantwich Town. Also in that year they finished 2nd in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, losing on goal difference to Oxford City. However they were promoted due to continued restructuring of non-league football, joining the Southern League Division One South & West. During the 2007–08 season, captain Danny Tilbury led Steve Ringrose's side to lift the Errea Cup (Southern League Cup) with a 4–1 aggregate win against premier side Clevedon Town. Following the departure of Steve Ringrose the club was transferred to the Division One North. The club struggled in the new league and in their first seasion in the Isthmian league finished bottom of the division and were relegated back to the Spartan South Midlands League. External links *Club website Category:English clubs Category:Isthmian League Category:Southern Football League clubs Category:Delphian League Category:Corinthian League (football)